The new Mazda2 has been a sport success for Mazda, selling almost 40,000 copies as of April since hitting the showrooms last October. A three-door version (above) was announced back in January and is now available to European customers. A 1.4 litre diesel engine is now also an option across the Mazda2 range and is cleaner and more efficient than the MZR gas engines. According to Mazda's own numbers (read them after the break), the breakdown goes like this:

• The gas-powered MZR 1.3 gets 43.5 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 129 g/km of CO₂.
• The gas-powered MZR 1.5 gets 40 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 140 g/km of CO₂.
• The diesel-powered MZ-CD 1.4 gets 54.7 mpg (U.S.) while emitting 114 g/km of CO₂.

All of these engines are mated to a five-speed manual tranny with higher gear rations that also reduce fuel use. One thing to note: those 114 grams make the Mazda2 with the MZ-CD 1.4 the Mazda production car with the lowest CO₂ emissions ever sold in Europe. The diesel will still generate 50 kW/68 PS at 4,000 rpm and 160 Nm of torque at a low 2,000 rpm for, in Mazda's words, "lively driving fun."

The proposed changes to the London congestion charge that would change it from a fixed charge to one based on emissions could prove a boon to small diesel engined cars, and Mazda like that possibility. Mazda had been projecting that only ten percent of buyers for the new Mazda2 would select the 1.4L diesel. However if the new changes occur, cars that emit less than 120g/km of CO2 would be exempt from the charges while bigger, thirstier machines could end up paying as much as £25 per day (up from the current fee of £8 per day). So far, aside from some electric "quadricycles" like the Reva G-Wiz, only small diesel cars like the Smart ForTwo, and VW Polo BlueMotion meet that standard. The new Mazda2 would also meet the threshold.

[Source: What Car]